Neighbours of proposed solar farm at Barnsdale and Exton voice their opposition
Residents living on the edge of a proposed solar farm are expressing deep concern about the effects it could have on their lives.
Lorraine and Neil Tunstall moved into their ‘dream home’ off Barnsdale Avenue, south-west of Exton, just three weeks ago.
One of the first items of post they received through the door was from Israel-based company Econegy saying the views from their windows could switch from open countryside to solar panels.
Lorraine, 52, said: “We’re not against solar farms being in the right place where they don’t affect people’s lives. The Exton Estate covers a lot of Rutland, so I don’t understand why they couldn’t use some of their land that is not near to anyone’s home.
“They could take it back behind the hedge away from our homes so we can’t see it.”
The kitchen and living areas of the Tunstalls’ home face the garden, which is bordered by shrubs and trees that lose their leaves in winter, meaning their view for much of the year would change dramatically.
Lorraine added that the panels could be in place for 40 years, despite the long-term effects not being known.
Ollie Smith and his young family live next door to the Tunstalls, having bought a converted barn three years ago “mainly for the views”.
Although he understands Rutland County Council’s planning committee will not consider the effect on views from windows or the value of his property as a reason to turn down the solar farm application, Ollie believes Econegy and Exton Estates should listen to local views and mitigate the effect on lives.
“I’m all for green energy,” he said. “We have electric cars and were looking at installing small wind turbines on our land and putting solar tiles on our roofs.
“But now we won’t be investing money into our home because it is no longer worth it.”
Ollie, who is managing director of BCM Wealth Management in Ironmonger Street, Stamford, fears the result of the application will be that their house will be worth less than the mortgage they took out to buy it.
He sees two potential solutions - that Exton Estates purchases his home for the original market value so that they can move, or that Econergy moves the boundary of the proposed solar farm away from their property.
“We are at our wits’ end,” he said. “I’m panicking that everything we have worked for will be taken away from us.”
At a live online webinar held on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the development said they were “not experts” on property values and would not give any formal answers to questions on this aspect.
They did say that during the consultation phase they were willing to hear people’s views and potentially mitigate effects.
Econergy is not buying the land from Exton Estates but is leasing it for 35 to 40 years, after which it will be returned to agricultural use.
The company wants to build a 49.9MW solar farm and 45MW battery energy storage system (Bess) on land the size of about 114 football pitches.
The site is about 1.8km south west of Exton, and bordered by Exton Lane to the south and Barnsdale Avenue to the east. Barnsdale Gardens and Rutland Falconry Centre would be on the edge of it.
If given the go-ahead by Rutland County Council, the panels would provide electricity to power 14,000 homes a year fed into the national grid rather than providing a direct local or cheaper supply.
Webinar attendees heard the solar panels would be “no more than 3m” in height and would face east in the morning, tracking the sun to face west by evening.
Their angle, and so height, would also change during the day - from 1.8m at night and at midday as they face upwards, to a maximum of 3m when the sun appears lower in the sky.
Answering a resident’s question about potential noise, an Econergy spokesperson said the panels themselves would not make noise as they gathered energy but would have small motors to enable them to tilt and track the sun’s relative position. They said it would be unlikely people would hear them moving.
He admitted battery systems make some noise when charging or discharging energy but they will be located away from residences and businesses.
A spokesman said the batteries can have ‘self-extinguishing’ technology and that local fire crews are briefed in extinguishing battery fires.
In response to concerns about the perimeter fencing to the development being monitored by cameras, people were told these would be within the deer fences and ‘inward-facing’ or point along the line of the fences.
Nick Hamilton, from Barnsdale Gardens, said he had not received any contact from the company on their proposals and was told everyone within 2km of the site should have received notification by postcard, with individual letters through the doors of those closest to the site.
Econergy also held a public event at Exton Village Hall on Wednesday and people can submit responses to the solar farm proposal until Sunday, August 14.
These views may result in Econergy amending its proposals for the solar farm, particularly with regard to the effect on wildlife and noise, and will be taken into consideration by Rutland County Council when it determines whether or not to grant the application.
Further information including maps are available at the website www.extonenergy.com and people can also call 0808 175 3009 to share their views.
Residents have formed an action group ‘The Solar Squad’ on Facebook, and can be contacted by emailing stopextonenergy@gmail.com
What do you think? Email smeditor@stamfordmercury.co.uk
